CANAL STRATEGY ON THE CREST OF A WAVE
The plan to kick start the renaissance of the popular Union Canal has been short listed for a prestigious national waterways award.
The Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy as been nominated in the ‘Strategy & Masterplanning’ category of The 2012 Waterways Renaissance Awards.
The awards, run by The Waterways Trust, reward exceptional projects that have turned inland waterways into desirable places for living, learning and leisure. The Canal Strategy is the result of partnership work between the City of Edinburgh Council and British Waterways (Scotland). After a series of focus groups, consultation events and collaboration with key canal users the Edinburgh Union Canal Strategy was approved in December 2011. It was officially launched at the start of this year.
John Bury, Head of Planning for the City of Edinburgh Council, said:-“A lot of detailed planning and consultation went into producing the strategy and it’s a great honour for this hard work to be recognised at a national level. Ultimately we hope this strategy will bring about the development of the canal so that more people from across the city, and beyond, can appreciate and enjoy its many facilities and benefit from its beauty as well as the economic potential it provides.”
Steve Dunlop, Chief Executive, Scottish Canals, said: “The Edinburgh Canal Strategy sets an exciting, imaginative and deliverable plan to create a vibrant new community space and tourist destination for the capital. It is great to be recognised in this way because most importantly, it is a well thought out strategy created with the community and one which will be delivered with the community.”
Roger Hanbury, Chief Executive of The Waterways Trust, said: “This is the tenth year of the Waterways Renaissance Awards and it is truly inspiring to see that, even in these very challenging economic times, people and organisations are continuing to work together to realise the benefits of our canals and rivers for communities across the United Kingdom.”
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